Glenurquhart Road

Inverness

IV3 5NX

 

6 March 2023

Please ask for: Miss J Maclennan

Email: [email protected]

To: Directors of the Board of High Life Highland

Biz Campbell

David Finlayson

Nick Finnigan

Michael Golding

Roddy Henry (designate)

Marianne Hutchison

 

 Andrew Jarvie

Tracy Ligema

Ken Nicol

Sarah Rawlings

Kerry Ross (designate)

Mark Tate

 

Dear Director

A meeting of the Board of HIGH LIFE HIGHLAND will take place in COMMITTEE ROOM 2, HIGHLAND COUNCIL HEADQUARTERS, GLENURQUHART ROAD, INVERNESS on TUESDAY 14 MARCH 2023 at 2.10 pm.

Yours faithfully

STEWART FRASER

COMPANY SECRETARY

BUSINESS

 1.     Apologies for Absence

2.      Declarations of Interest

Directors are asked to consider whether they have an interest to declare in relation to any item on the agenda for this meeting.   Any Director making a declaration of interest should provide some information on the nature of the interest. Advice may be sought from Officers prior to the meeting taking place.

3.     High Life Highland Purpose, Key Business Objectives and Corporate Values                  2022-27              PP 1-2                    

There is circulated summary of High Life Highland’s purpose, key business objectives and corporate valuesas extracted from the High Life Highland Business Plan 2022-27.

4.      Confirmation of Minutes                                                                PP 3-25                             

The following Minutes are circulated for approval:-

  • Board Meeting held on 14 December 2022 (pp. 3-8);
  • Nominations Committee held on 31 January 2023 (p. 9)
  • Finance and Audit Committee held on 13 February 2023 (pp. 10-14);
  • Health and Safety and Environmental Compliance Committee held on 13 February 2023 (pp. 15-18);
  • Nominations Committee held on 21 February 2023 (p.19);

and for noting:-

5     Matters Arising – Board Meeting of 14 December 2022                        26

There is circulated, for information, matters arising from the meeting of the Board held on 14 December 2022.

The Board is invited to note the position.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

6.       Independent Directors to the High Life Highland and Committee Vacancies

The two vacant Board positions which arose due to the resignation of Mr D McLachlan and Mr I Ross have been filled, subject to the approval of the Highland Council on 9 March 2022, by Mr R Henry and Ms K Ross.

As a result of the resignation of Mr Ross there is a vacancy on each of the following Committees which the Board is invited to consider:-

  • Finance and Audit Committee
  • Health and Safety and Environmental Compliance Committee
  • High Life Highland (Trading) Board

QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE

7.        Finance Report                                                 PP. 27-34

There is circulated Report No. HLH/1/23 dated 27 February 2023 by the Chief Executive updating Directors on the financial performance of High Life Highland for the period ending 31 January and other relevant matters.

The Board is invited to note:-

  • the results for the period to January 2023, as detailed in Appendix A of the report, reports a net surplus of £280k;             ;
  • the draft year-end outturn of a net deficit of £1.14m;
  • the uplift in The Highland Council Service Fee of £330k;
  • the financial support from The Highland Council and the projected level of unrestricted reserves;
  • no breaches of internal controls have been reported in the past quarter;
  • no data breaches have been reported in the past quarter;that following the annual review of the Financial Regulations and Contract Standing orders there are no issues to report; and

approve:-

  • the creation of a £300k earmarked reserve for backpay relating to the proposed revision of pay scales.

The Board is asked to resolve that the following item be restricted to Directors and representatives from HLH and the Company Secretary’s office.

8      2023/24 Budget Approval

There is circulated separately Report No. HLH/2/23 dated 1 March 2023 by the Chief Executive providing a summary of the operating budget for 2023/24, together with details of planned savings measures and the price increases.

The Board is invited to approve the recommendations as detailed in the report.

9.      Service Delivery Contract Review                                          PP. 35-41

There is circulated Report No. HLH/3/23 dated 25 February 2023 by the Chief Executive updating Board Members on the Service Delivery Contract review and sets out the current status in respect of a review of the Service Delivery Contract with the Highland Council.

The Board is invited to note:-

  • the ongoing financial pressures facing the Charity;
  • the challenges presented by the current Service Delivery Contract;the financial projection for Financial Year 2023/24 and the pressing need for initiation of a contract review;
  • the proposed scope and desired outcomes from the contract review;

and agree:-

  • that the draft letter at Appendix A of the report is sent, formally reminding the Council that the contract review is overdue and the pressing need to make progress.

10.    Performance Report                                                                    PP. 42-80

There is circulated Report No. HLH/4/23 dated 27 February 2023 by the Chief Executive presenting performance information for the period October to December 2022.

The Board is invited to:-

  • comment on the report and agree that the overall health check on the charity for that period is RAG rated as “amber” because of the financial position;
  • note that there HLH should be able to set a balanced budget for 2023/24 following the Council setting its budget on 2 March which should help to bring the overall RAG rating back to green, on target in future years; and
  • note that further work will be required with the Council on the Service Delivery Contract to address the amber RAG rating in the longer term.

11.    Human Resources                                                                  PP. 81-117

There is circulated Report No. HLH/5/23 dated 27 February 2023 by the Chief Executive providing an update on the charity’s Human Resources related matters.

The Board is invited to:-

  • note and comment on the standing HR matters for Q3 (October – December 2022);
  • note and comment on the Staff Exit Surveys (2022) summary;
  • note the update relating to employing new staff under the age of 16 years;
  • approve the additional staff public holiday for the King’s Coronation; and
  • approve the update to the Health and Safety Policy. 

12.    Health and Wellbeing Update                                                 PP. 118-127 

There is circulated Report No. HLH6/23 dated 27 February 2023 by the Chief Executive providing the regular six-monthly progress update on the health and wellbeing activity including the implementation of the Health and Wellbeing Plan (2022-2027).  Some examples of the work which has taken place to support the health and wellbeing of Highland communities are included within the report. 

The Board is invited to comment on the update and note the progress made to date.

 

AOB

13.    Chair/Chief Executive’s Updates                                            PP. 128-130

There is circulated Report No. HLH7/23 dated 27 February 2023 by the Chief Executive providing information to Directors and the opportunity for them to discuss issues affecting HLH and its work at an early stage.

The Board is invited to:-

  • comment on and note the updates; and
  • approve the redundancy of the climbing wall posts should redeployment not be possible.